Wayland Man Arrested After Following Woman to Work

On Saturday morning, January 18, 2014 the Auburn Police Department responded the parking lot of the Auburn Life Care Center (14 Masonic Circle) after receiving a frantic call from a female Life Care employee who stated that someone had followed her to work.

When Auburn Officers arrived, the female told police that while she was on her way to work, she came upon a vehicle that was stopped for no apparent reason in the middle of the road on Route 20 (Washington Street) near Elm Street. After waiting a few moments she sounded her horn. The vehicle remained so she drove around it and proceeded down the road. It was at that time the vehicle sped up and began following her at a very close distance while the operator flashed the vehicle’s lights and sounded the horn. The vehicle followed the frightened woman for over two miles.

When the Auburn Police arrived they encountered, Richard J. Cornell (age 27) of 20 Red Barn Road Wayland, MA who was parked two spaces over glaring at the female. Cornell appeared to not even notice the presence of the Auburn Police when they arrived. Auburn Police observed a large baggie of various pills, bags of marijuana and open alcoholic beverages in the vehicle. The Life Care employee did not know the male that followed her.

Cornell was arrested at the scene for Operating a MV Under The Influence of Liquor (2nd Offense), OUI-Drugs, Drinking Alcohol From Open Container in a MV, Negligent Operation of a MV, Following Too Closely and 3 Counts of Illegal Possession of a Class B substance. Cornell was held on $1500.00 bail pending his arraignment in Worcester District Court. The arresting officer is Bryan Porcaro.